Essays on trans, intersex, cis and other persons and topics from a trans perspective.......All human life is here.

This site is the most comprehensive on the web devoted to trans history and biography. Well over 1200 persons worthy of note, both famous and obscure, are discussed in detail, and many more are mentioned in passing - especially in the year-end summaries (see links in right sidebar.)

There is a detailedIndexarranged by vocation, doctor, activist group etc.

In addition to this most articles have one or more labels at the bottom. Click one to go to similar persons. There is a full list of labels at the bottom of the page. There is also a search box at the top left. Enjoy exploring!

Internet

Facebook decided that legal names would be required on profiles which affected a variety of users. Drag queens made the most fuss until the policy was reversed. "Facebook has offered a genuine apology and agreed that our real names are the ones we make for ourselves".

Jaden Remy joined private Facebook group All Transmen Know Each Other. His name and photograph were taken to sell prosthetic penises. When he objected he was banned and blocked.

Photographs of the aging from Home of the Golden Gays, Pasay, Philippines.

Paola Revenioti exhibited her photographs at East London’s George and Dragon gay bar, 19 October-3 November 2013. In November 2014 the collection was shown in Cyprus, where the exhibition was raided by the police on TDOR after one complaint was received.

Reinas de Quito, photographs by Raul Chacon of Quito's drag queens at the Centro de Arte Contemporáneo.

Zackary Drucker and Rhys Ernst, transitioning in opposite directions, had their photographs of their transitions exhibited as part of Biennial 2014 at The Whitney Museum of American Art from March 7 to May 25.

Radio

Stephanie Hirst, presenter of a breakfast show on Capital FM Yorkshire, is in transition. More.

Kimberly Ray and Barry Beck, hosts of the The Breakfast Buzz on 98.9 FM, WBZA, Rochester, New York, "“you’re probably a nut job to begin with” if you’re seeking reassignment surgery. They were fired a day later. In September they had a new afternoon show on 95.1 The Brew.

The Rush Limbaugh Program, May 29, 2014. A woman, Tina, objects to his linking of same-sex marriage and trans rights, he pretends not to know that 'tranny' is controversial, and he asks how a trans woman might 'trick' a man into having sex. NewsArticle.

Trans playing trans

Brothers. Dir/scr: Emmett Lundberg, with Emmett Lundberg as Jack, Jamie Casbon as Davyn, Hudson Karkowski as Aiden and Will Krisanda as Max. US 8 episodes 2014. A web series about four trans-masculine friends in Brooklyn. IMDBNewsArticle.

Emmerdale. UK ITV 1972 – now. Long-running soap recruited Samantha Valentine for one day's work as a barmaid in a scene where women compete to get other women's phone numbers leading up to the punch line: ‘That’s not fair, that’s a he not a she’. With the help of Press for Change, Valentine complained and the scene was cut.

Sense8. Dir/scr: The Wachowskis and others. US Netflix 2015. Wikipedia. IMDB. Includes scenes shot at the Fresh Meat Festival in San Francisco.

Cis playing trans

Carlotta. Dir: Samantha Lang, scr: David Hannam, with Jessica Marais as Carlotta and Kai Lewins as Richard (young Carlotta). Australia ABC1 19 June 2014. A drama based on the life of Sydney showgirl Carlotta. It is ironic that Carlotta, who pioneered trans playing trans in 1973, is now portrayed by a cis actor. Drag artist Courtney Act had been initially announced for the part. IMDBNewsarticle.

The Centre, Created by Marian Cullen & Warren Meyler, with Gary Cooke as Nuala Mooney. Ireland RTE2 1 season 6 episodes 2014. A comedy set in a community centre in north Dublin with Nuala as a stereotyped trans character played for laughs. Travellers and Muslims are also laughed at. IMDBNewsarticleNewsarticleTENI.

On 11 August 2014 BBC's Newsnightattempted to set a discussion re the boxing promoter and UKIP candidate, Kellie Maloney, who had recently come out as trans. They approached some feminists such as Julie Bindel and Sarah Ditum, but based on previous experience none of them would have anything to do with the topic. Therefore Newsnight settled on two trans women and one trans man: Miranda Yardley, Paris Lees and Fred McConnell. Paris took umbrage with the lineup and tweeted that she was “not prepared to enter into a fabricated debate about trans people’s right to exist/express themselves". Fred tweeted that it was a “TERF-filled trap”. Then Newsnight had to inform Miranda that the proposed session was cancelled. Miranda's version.

Panti Bliss, Dublin, appeared on RTÉ's The Saturday Night Show with Brendan O'Connor where they discussed homophobia and Panti alleged that some individuals (David Quinn, founder of the Iona Institute, Irish Times columnists John Waters and Breda O’Brien, and Institute members Dr Patricia Casey, Dr John Murray and Ms Maria Steen) involved in Irish journalism were homophobic. Those mentioned threatened RTÉ and Panti with legal action. RTÉ subsequently removed that section of the interview from their online archive. On 25 January episode of the Saturday Night Show, O'Connor issued a public apology on behalf of RTÉ to those mentioned by O'Neill in the interview held two weeks previously. RTÉ paid €85,000 to those named. On 1 February 2014, Panti gave a speech at the Abbey Theatre in response which garnered over 200,000 views in two days. As of March 2014 the video has over 600,000 views.

Pointless. BBC game show. Stephanie, a contestant, was met by transphobic Tweets. Richard Osman, co-host, Tweeted in her defence.

Rafalala, a 'transsexual poet' and Artur Zawisza, leader of Poland's far-right National Movement, were on a live TV show on Polsat News. Zawisza stormed out when she threw water in his face after he called her a "whore".

Stephen Fry's Out There in which Stephen visits LGBT persons around the world. Part 2 in India features Hijras.

Transphobic

Aab Tak, Pakistan opened transmission with ‘Ladies, Gentlemen and She-males’, and then the show Khufia bullied trans persons on the streets of Karachi. Ansar Burney, "human right activist and physician" said trans is "psychological misbehaviour" and that trans persons could be agents of foreign countries.Michelle Demishevich, Turkey's only openly trans broadcaster was fired.

On a Stool at the End of the Bar. Dir: Michael Parva scr: Robert Callely, with Antoinette Thornes as Chris, living in stealth with three teenagers and a boyfriend of 10 years. Nov 30 – Dec 14 off-Broadway’s 59E59 Theatres.

Jo Clifford has adapted Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (opening in February) and several of her plays are being revived by other thespians.

Cis Playwrights & Actors Exploring Gender Options

Hamlet. Dir: Sarah Frankcom, scr: William Shakespeare, with Maxine Peake as Hamlet. Several other characters also cross-cast. Manchester Royal Exchange. Review. There have been female Hamlets back to the 18th century. This is a fine example.

Yentl, the Yeshiva Boy. Dir: Shirley Serotsky, scr: Leah Napolin, based on the short story by Isaac Singer, music by Jill Sobule, with Shayna Blass as Yentl. Theatre J, Washington. Review.

Kava Girls. Dir & Scr: Sani Muliaumaseali'l, with AJ LeRoy as Sinalei, Ninotchka Tingleff, as Debra. World premiere is set for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, August 10 - Aug 25. Newsarticle. Samoan Fa’afafine struggle to start in London's West End theatre.

Hedwig and the Angry Inch. John Cameron Mitchell, who along with Stephen Trask created the musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch, will return to the stage as the titular East Geman-trans-punk rocker after Michael C. Hall finishes his turn as Hedwig.

Cinema

Actor Rüzgar Erkoçlar, Turkey, having completed transition, was summoned for military service, but the military medical board found him 'not suitable for military service'.

Trans Playing Trans

Les garçons et Guillaume, à table! (Me, Myself and Mum). Dir/scr: Guillaume Gallienne, with Guillaume Gallienne as himself and as his mother. France 85 mins 2013. IMDBNewsarticle. An autobiographical film by Guillaume who did not like boyish things, but did like dance and women's clothes. Mother tells him that he is gay, and was annoyed when he dated women and married one.

Cis Playing Trans/Intersex

Une nouvelle amie/The New Girlfriend Dir/scr: Francois Ozon short story by Ruth Rendell, with Romain Duris as widowed new father David who starts cross-dressing. France 105 mins 2014. IMDBTrailerWikipedia

Bruno and Earlene go to Vegas. Dir/scr: Simon Savory, with Miles Szanto as Bruno, Ashleigh Sumner as Earlene. UK/US/France 95 mins 2013. Two persons on a road trip, one of whom, Bruno. is intersex. IMDBWebsiteTrailerReview

Kumu Hina. Dir: Dean Hamer & Joe Wilson, with Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu (see Part 4 under Provincial Politics). US/Fiji 75 mins 2014. A mahu Hawaiian inspires a young girl to fulfill her destiny of leading the school's male hula troupe, even as she struggles with her own relationship. IMDBWebsiteTrailerNewsarticleNewsarticle

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Announcement re year-end review

At the end of each year from 2008 to 2015 I did a year-end review of trans persons and events around the world. Each year it became bigger, and it has really become too big a task for one person. I hereby give notice that I will not be doing such a year-end review this year, or in future.

I will do some bits, especially the list of new books, but not the comprehensive survey that I have previously done.

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About Zagria

I have a social science degree. I spent several years in the 70s doing Gay Lib counselling, and moved on to organizing trans groups. I was rejected by the Clarke Institute (now CAMH) in the mid 1980s, probably because I do not match either of their stereotypes, but was accepted by Russel Reid on our first meeting in late 1987, and had surgery from James Dalrymple some months later. I have mainly worked as an IT consultant. I have been with the same husband for 44 years.